U.S. Forces Prepare Possible New S.Sudan Evacuations

The U.S. military is redeploying aircraft and other forces in the Horn of Africa to prepare for possible further evacuations of Americans from South Sudan, the Pentagon said Monday.

"The secretary of defense has been following this situation very closely," spokesman Colonel Steven Warren told reporters.

"We are repositioning our forces in the area of concern," Warren added, saying units were readying in case the government orders more evacuations of Americans still on the ground.

Apart from flying out foreign nationals, no other military action was under consideration, he said.

About 100 Americans were evacuated by U.S. forces on Sunday after a previous attempt on Saturday had to be called off when American aircraft came under fire from the ground, with four troops wounded.

About 30 Americans remain at the U.S. embassy in Juba, where "non-emergency" staff were already flown out in recent days.

The Pentagon was looking to move cargo planes and helicopters to a U.S. base in Djibouti, as well as a special Marine Corps unit, a defense official told Agence France Presse on condition of anonymity.